How to Fix Msvcp80.dll Not Found or Missing Errors

You can safely download this DLL from Microsoft, but if that doesn't fix the error, reinstall the program that needs the file

By
Tim Fisher
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Tim Fisher
Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability
  • Emporia State University
Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the SVP and General Manager of Lifewire.
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Updated on November 11, 2022

Msvcp80.dll errors are caused by situations that lead to the removal or corruption of the msvcp80 DLL file.

In some cases, msvcp80.dll errors could indicate a registry problem, a virus or malware issue, or even a hardware failure.

The msvcp80.dll error message could apply to any program or system that might utilize the file on any of Microsoft's operating systems including Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows 2000.

Msvcp80.dll Errors

Msvcp80.dll Not Found error

Here are several examples showing how msvcp80.dll errors can show up on your computer:

  • Msvcp80.dll Not Found
  • This application failed to start because msvcp80.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem.
  • Cannot find [PATH]\msvcp80.dll
  • The file msvcp80.dll is missing.
  • Cannot start [APPLICATION]. A required component is missing: msvcp80.dll. Please install [APPLICATION] again.

These error messages might appear while using or installing certain programs, or when Windows starts or shuts down.

The context of the msvcp80.dll error is an important piece of information that will be helpful while solving the problem.

How to Fix Msvcp80.dll Errors

Follow these steps in the order they're given below to address the more likely fixes first.

Do not download msvcp80.dll from a "DLL download" website. There are many reasons why downloading DLLs like that is a bad idea. If you need a copy of msvcp80.dll, it's best to obtain it from its original, legitimate source.

  1. Download and install the Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Service Pack 1 Redistributable Package MFC Security Update. This will replace/restore the msvcp80.dll with the most recent copy provided by Microsoft.

    You're given a few download options for this update, based on the version of Windows you have installed: x86 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit).

    Start Windows in Safe Mode to complete these steps if you're unable to access Windows normally due to the error.

  2. Restore msvcp80.dll from the Recycle Bin. The easiest possible cause of a "missing" msvcp80.dll file is that you've mistakenly deleted it.

    If you suspect this, but you've already emptied the Recycle Bin, you may be able to recover the file with a free file recovery program.​

    Recovering a deleted copy of msvcp80.dll is smart only if you're confident you've deleted the file yourself and that it was working properly before you did that.

  3. Reinstall the program that's producing the error. If the msvcp80.dll error occurs when you use a particular program, reinstalling that program might help.

  4. Run a virus/malware scan of your entire system. Some msvcp80.dll errors could be related to a virus or other malware infection on your computer that has damaged the DLL file. It's even possible that the msvcp80.dll error you're seeing is related to a hostile program that's masquerading as the file.

  5. Use System Restore to undo recent system changes. If you suspect that the msvcp80.dll error was caused by a change made to an important file or configuration, System Restore could solve the problem.

  6. Install any available Windows updates. Many service packs and other patches replace or update some of the hundreds of Microsoft distributed DLL files on your computer. The msvcp80.dll file could be included in one of those updates.

  7. Test your memory and then test your hard drive. We've left the majority of hardware troubleshooting to the last step, but your computer's memory and hard drive are easy to test and are the most likely components that might cause msvcp80.dll errors as they fail.

    If the hardware fails any of your tests, replace the memory or replace the hard drive as soon as possible.

  8. Repair your installation of Windows. If the individual troubleshooting advice above is unsuccessful, performing a startup repair or repair installation should restore all Windows DLL files to their working versions.

  9. Use a free registry cleaner to repair msvcp80.dll related issues in the registry. A registry cleaner program may be able to help by removing invalid msvcp80.dll registry entries that might be causing the DLL error.​

    Registry cleaners should be used as a "last resort" attempt before the destructive step coming up next—we rarely recommend using one (see why in our Registry Cleaners FAQ).

  10. Perform a clean installation of Windows. This will erase everything from the hard drive and install a fresh copy of Windows. If none of the steps above correct the msvcp80.dll error, this should be your next course of action.​ 

    All the information on your hard drive will be erased during this step. Make sure you've made the best attempt possible to fix the error using a troubleshooting step prior to this one.

  11. Troubleshoot for a hardware problem if any msvcp80.dll errors persist. After a clean install of Windows, your DLL problem can only be hardware related.

Need More Help?

If you're not interested in fixing this problem yourself, see How Do I Get My Computer Fixed? for a full list of your support options, plus help with everything along the way like figuring out repair costs, getting your files off, choosing a repair service, and a lot more.

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